Ms. Servisa Croff, 89 passed away peacefully in her sleep on Friday, August 28, 2020, at her home in Florissant, Missouri.
Servisa was born on September 21, 1940, in Turrell Arkansas, to Mary Washington and Robert Smith, both of whom preceded her in death. Her sisters, Gazella Gist, Lucille, Jackson, Doris Cash, and brother Freddy Williams also preceded her in death. One grandson, Gleen Staples, and one great-grandson, Cartrell Amos preceded her in death as well.
Servisa accepted Christ as her personal savior at an early age and was baptized into the Church of God and Christ. She sang in church for most of her life, In 1956 she moved from Blytheville, AR. to St. Louis, MO where she joined the New Jerusalem Baptist Church under the leadership of Rev. Samuel Williams. In 1971, she joined New Bethlehem MBC where she served under Rev. P.W. Jones and Minister Hosea E. Gales. She sang in the choir and worked in the “Willing Workers” ministry. In 2008, she joined Trinity Mt. Carmel where she served under Pastor Charles Roach and continued serving under Michael Cleveland until her death.
Servisa attended school in Blytheville, AR, graduating from Harrison High school. She moved to New Orleans, LA for a couple of years and back to Blytheville. She moved to St. Louis, MO in 1956 with her husband and four children. They lived in Chicago for a year in 1964 and then moved back to St. Louis. Servisa has also lived in Davenport, IA, Rock Island, IL, Dubuque, IA, and Burnsville, MN. She always found her way back to St. Louis.
Servisa worked as a Nurse’s Aide, PCA, nanny, ward clerk, and chemical dependency liaison.
Her passions were her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren. She was the Matriarch of the family. She loved God and she loved the church. Servisa enjoyed singing and shopping. She was a member of the choir until her health started failing and a previous member of the St. Louis Gospel Choral Union.
Servisa was in a couple of productions at the Grand Opera House in Dubuque, IA, “Tin Types” and “Many Moons. In 2016, she had the distinct honor of being a contestant in the Mrs. Senior Missouri pageant.
Servisa is survived by her 7 children, 15 grandchildren, 43 great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, god-children, and friends. She will be truly missed.